Preorder a Signed Copy of Sir Fig Newton Meow!

Personalized / Signed Preorders of SIR FIG NEWTON AND THE SCIENCE OF PERSISTENCE are now available from the pawesome Portland indie bookstore Annie Bloom’s Books! If you would like your copy personalized, just mention it in the order comments box… Read More >

Ring in 2022 with a Star!

Debut year. First trade review. Happy New Year indeed. When I received the news that my first trade review was in… and it’s a STAR from Kirkus Reviews, I wasn’t sure whether to dance, scream, smile, or cry. So I… Read More >

Happy Book Birthday to 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic!

Edited by award-winning journalist Lilly Workneh with a foreword by #BlackGirlMagic originator CaShawn Thompson, the fourth volume in the Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic features the work of over sixty Black… Read More >

Guess What? I Made a Thing!

📚 Do you love to write, read, or talk about kidlit? Do you only function after your daily caffeine fix? Do cats rule your household? ☕ If you’d like to see this thing I made, then check out my author… Read More >

Sir Fig Newton Cover Reveal!!!

OHEMGEE it’s finally here! The incredibly adorable cover by the talented artist Brittney Bond for my debut middle grade novel, SIR FIG NEWTON AND THE SCIENCE OF PERSISTENCE!! SQUEE!!! I’m so excited for Black girls to see themselves on the… Read More >

My First Norwescon

I’ve done readings, book signings, a book launch, and exhibited at an inaugural reading summit for Oregon librarians, but THIS will be my very first time as a panelist at a literary conference. Yes, I’m nervous, but more so I… Read More >

Dreams Do Come True

To the really young me who spent every weekend at the library, reading every Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary book she could get her hands on. To the confident me who loved making up stories and living in my imagination.… Read More >

Yeah, You Got This!

I’ve been on this writing journey for longer than I care to admit. It wasn’t until 2004 when I rediscovered my love of writing and finally put pen to paper. (Yeah, I’m old school.) Since then, I’ve written five manuscripts… Read More >

Best Books of 2016

Multnomah County Library included Oregon Reads Aloud in its “Best Books of 2016” list. SO proud to be a part of this amazing collection!… Read More >

Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy!

Today I was doing my happy dance after I found out that I’d won the 2016 Oregon Literary Fellowship for Young Readers Literature!! Woo-Hoo! The Oregon Literary Fellowships are intended to help Oregon writers initiate, develop, or complete literary projects… Read More >